A school prefect killed himself after going on a three-day drink and drugs binge with a new circle of friends.

Declan Edwards, 16, swallowed huge quantities of amphetamines and Ecstasy tablets as part of a plan to stay awake and party with the group for a whole weekend.

But the teenager was unaware of the effects such a binge would have on his mind and on the Sunday afternoon he slipped away from the group and vanished in secluded woodland.

Declan Edwards, pictured left and right, was found hanged after a 'mad weekend' in which he and three friends binged non-stop on drink and drugs, an inquest heard

The popular schoolboy was found hanged four days later following a major police search.

An inquest
into his death heard that Declan, who attended Unity College in
Burnley, was ‘a popular, loving and affectionate’ boy who had a Saturday
job at Burnley Football Club and had been selected for a Btec diploma
in sport.

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Declan told his
family he was sleeping over at a friend’s grandmother’s house before the
four boys went out and bought 35 Ecstasy pills and up to five grams of
amphetamines on a Friday night.

They washed down the tablets with cider
bought from a petrol station. The four boys – Declan, Lewis Clarke,
Jordan Kaye and Charlton Nowell – then wandered around town attending
house parties all night.

Mandy Edwards (pictured at her son's funeral) described the 16-year-old as 'very loving' and 'very caring'

Hundreds attended a funeral to say goodbye to Declan Edwards. His body was found at Rowley Lake in Burnley after a weekend drink and drugs binge, an inquest heard

Declan Edwards, shown left and right with his mother Mandy Edwards, disappeared after running off from the group he was with

Tragedy: Declan Edwards had been set to take his GCSEs at school at the end of summer term last year

Grieving: Mourners attend the funeral of Declan Edwards at Burnley St Catherine's Church

At around 9am on the Saturday they went into Burnley town centre and spent several hours in a park.

Declan briefly returned home to get changed and eat, before the boys got together again.

That evening they went to buy more drugs at a house and Declan emerged with around ‘ten to 15 tablets’, the inquest heard.

A touching message left by grandparents of Declan Edwards said the youngster brought 'fun, joy and laughter' to the world

Declan Edwards was was found hanged four days after disappearing following a major police search

Charlton
said he saw Declan ‘bombing’ amphetamines – taking them orally – in
Rizla cigarette papers and drinking cider and vodka. Declan’s close
school friend, Trafford Brotherton, 16, saw him at around 1am on Sunday
and claimed he looked ‘a mess’.

The group went to another party that night and then went back to the park on the Sunday morning.

At around
2pm Declan said he was going home. ‘He was still off his head but he
appeared to have a bit more sense now,’ said Charlton.

One of the boys Declan Edwards, pictured, was with described the youngster as looking 'completely out of it'

Tributes were left for Declan Edwards near the scene where he was found hanged in secluded woodland

Declan left but did not return home and his body was found days later. His mother Mandy Edwards, 42, said she had not been aware he had taken drugs recreationally.

She added: ‘He did not intend to end his life, definitely not. When it was explained what was in his system, that is what has contributed to him ending his life. Declan was happy. He had always been involved in helping people. He was a very positive young man.’

Toxicology tests revealed Declan had taken amphetamines, cannabis and MDMA. Recording a narrative verdict, Coroner Richard Taylor said he did not believe Declan had intended to take his own life.

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A good friend of Declan Edwards, pictured, said he knew his friend had taken pills, MDMA and cocaine and that he had asked him to stop

The mother of Declan Edwards, pictured, described him as a 'happy' person, adding: 'He was such a lovely beautiful lad, so loved and loved other people so much'

Posters were put up in Burnley as a desperate search for Declan Edwards got underway following his disappearance in May last year

Friends left touching messages near the scene of the tragedy referring to Declan as 'Deccy'

Consultant pathologist, Dr Walid Salman, who carried out the post-mortem examination, said there were 'recreational level' traces of amphetamine and MDMA inside Declan's system

Declan's close college friend Trafford Brotherton, 16, who was not involved in the binge said the teenager had been 'very excited' about his sport diploma and about finishing his school exams and attending their prom

The coroner described Declan Edwards as 'a son who had an awful lot to live for, very popular, loving, well liked, a young man who had a lot of friends and a very lovely family'